What Is A Joint Residential Schedule?

Key Takeaways:

• Joint custody is called a joint residential schedule in Washington.
• The specifics are laid out in the parenting plan, the court-ordered document that governs which parent has decision-making powers, where a child lives, and how they will be cared for.
• Joint residential schedules are the most common custody arrangements because they keep both parents substantially involved in a child’s life.
• Joint custody looks different from case to case.
• Joint custody arrangements tend to work best when parents live relatively near one another.
• Benefits include preserving a strong bond between parents and children, sharing the parenting responsibilities, and the court typically views this as in the child’s best interests.
• Common challenges include ongoing friction between exes, the stress of organizing and maintaining a schedule, and the possibility of one parent feeling they’re putting in more work than the other.

People often talk about shared or joint custody, where, following a divorce or breakup, both parents split the obligations and privileges of raising their children. In Washington, however, the official term for this is a joint residential schedule and is laid out in the parenting plan.

What are Parenting Plans and Residential Schedules?

Simply put, a parenting plan is the document that outlines all the specifics of who cares for a child. This includes where the child lives, which parent has decision-making powers, and how the kids will be cared for.

Residential schedules are outlined in the parenting plan. This details the child’s regular weekly activities, like where they spend the night, which parent will look after them, and similar details. They also include plans for special occasions, like birthdays, holidays, vacations, and school breaks.

The parent with the most overnights is called the “primary residential parent.”

There are many possible custody arrangements, and of these, a joint residential schedule is the most common.

Related Reading: What Does a Parenting Plan Include?

What is a Joint Residential Schedule, or Joint Custody?

Also often called shared custody, joint custody, or shared residential schedule, a joint residential schedule is when the court awards both parents parental rights and responsibilities. They may not live together, but both participate and share duties in the child’s life.

What this looks like in practice varies by case, but it is outlined in the parenting plan.

Most often in these arrangements, both parents share residential time and decision-making powers. This keeps both parents involved in a child’s life in a substantial way, which is typically the court’s goal.

As we said, there are, of course, many variations. For example, the parents may share residential time, but one has all the decision-making power. Or the child may live full-time with one parent, but both are involved in making choices about how to raise them.

Related Reading: How Does Moving Out Affect Divorce?

How Does Proximity Impact Joint Custody?

It may seem obvious, but joint custody works best when the parents live close to one another.

This makes regular, practical hurdles much more manageable. Getting the kids from one house to another, from school to home to baseball practice and the rest, is much easier. This also gives kids the opportunity to spend significant time with both parents.

Complications arise the greater the distance. It’s one thing to go from Queen Anne to Eastlake, but another to go from Seattle to Tacoma or Olympia.

When parents live farther apart, the kids may spend the week with one parent while splitting weekends and holidays between two homes. This “weekend parent” model is a common arrangement.

Related Reading: The Importance of Jurisdiction

What are the Upsides Of Joint Residential Schedules?

The greatest benefit of joint custody is that it keeps both parents involved in a child’s life in a major way. Unless there are mitigating circumstances, the court generally views this as the best-case scenario.

This helps maintain parent-child bonds and allows these relationships to continue developing.

It also places the responsibility for raising the child on both parents. In this scenario, neither has to do the hard work and make all of the tough choices.

Related Reading: What is the ‘Right of First Refusal’ Clause in the Parenting Plan?

What are the Downsides Of Joint Custody?

There are, of course, drawbacks to joint custody. Co-parenting presents potential thorny issues.

Even if your split was amicable, you may not want to see your ex regularly. But if you share parenting responsibilities and residential time, you have to. Frequent contact and communication, while necessary, may lead to friction and conflict or bring up old hurt feelings.

Practical concerns can cause problems. Shuttling the kids back and forth takes time.

Creating a schedule and sticking to it can be stressful for both parents and children, especially if it involves frequent moves between houses.

Depending on the circumstances, one parent may feel they have invested more time, effort, money, or emotion, which can lead to conflict.

These are just a few possible landmines you may encounter.

Though joint custody may be difficult, consider the alternative. This way, you stay a big part of your child’s life. That’s better for them, and it’s better for you.

It may be tough to work through some issues, but remember to focus on your kids’ best interests. This is more about them than you, and it’s important not to lose sight of that fact.

Related Reading: Guardian Ad Litem: What You Need to Know